Hi Mike,
I was the guy you spoke to up there today about the Short Eared Owl we spotted. Thanks for the view of the Wigeon, and cheers for the heads up on this site...speak soon.

Sun 8/2 15:45 - 17:00 REs 70% frozen - light snow turning heavier
Goosander 22 (10 m + 12 f)
G C Grebe 1
Wigeon 1 m
Short eared Owl quatering over grasses/rushed just below embankment
GBbGull 1
Bhd Gull c 80
C Gull c 30
Falcon sp (small ? dark diving / gliding into valley - poor light probably Kestrel)

Where was the Raven seen on Friday afternoon?

2 Great crested Grebe were the highlight
26 Goosander
2 GBBGull
150+ BH Gull
40 Common Gull
4 Mallard
1 Kestrel

very cold up there

as usual wildlife sightings on the wildlife forum

Dave

14:30-15:30

1 Raven
20 Goosander
2 Lapwing
10 Reed Bunting

lots of snow

wildlife sightings on the wildlife forum

Dave

A Dunlin and Redshank were on the 'spit' at first light but both flew off west when a male sparrowhawk spooked them.

52 Lapwing also on spit.

Dave

Popped up this afternoon. Very quiet. All the spiders and their webs have blown away.

Mallard 8
Goosander 26
Common Gull 26
Black headed gull 48

Pete

27th - 30mins late morning, not 1 bird

28th - 20 Goosander

50 Lapwing
5 Mallard

loads and loads of spiders, very impressive sight, pics and more details on the wildlife forum

Dave

Nothing at all on the res early afternoon

1 Kestrel
2 Meadow Pipit over
and 2 Little Owl - a great sight as where they used to breed has been destroyed and I have not seen them for ages.

mammal sightings on the wildlife forum

Dave

Good to see you Pete,

at midday today 45 Goosanders were on
4 Mallard earlier today

plenty of bits and bobs today on the wildlife forum (the fungi rampage continues!)

Dave


-- Edited by David Winnard at 20:47, 2009-01-25

Tonight 15.45-16.50

Goosander 18
Lapwing 31
Greater B Gull 22
Herring Gull 2
Common Gull c50
B Headed Gull c150
Male Sparrowhawk 1

Good to meet up with Dave Winnard and Rose.

Pete

There were 32 Goosander on at around 1:30, are birds coming here to roost anymore?

Dave

Tonight 16.15-16.50 Nice calm eve with good visibility.

Goosander 32
Lapwing 34
Lesser BB Gull 15
Greather B Gull 51
Common Gull c30
B Headed Gull c200

Pete

yea roughly that area, though mobile from the junction of Ashworth road and Edenfield and then on the moors up to Knowl Hill - didnt see any today but was very windy.

20 Goosander were all i saw on a quick visit in.

Dave

mike - am assuming they are around where they were a few weeks back. on the moor opposite amr road.

Dave - where is the Reed Bunting flock? Mike C

Reed Buntings still about but mobile, 50+ on 21st.

300 Pink-footed Geese heading west on 21st.

Today

1 Kestrel
1 GCGrebe
20 Goosander
20 Lapwing

Mammal sightings on the wildlife forum

Dave

15:30 till dark

11 Goosander at first rising to 28
33 Lapwing
32 GBBGull
100+ Common Gull
150+ BH Gull
3 Herring Gull
1 GCGrebe
1 Kestrel

Dave

i made a visit around 11:00, very very unusual was 26 Goosander on at this time, most move off at the crack of dawn.

24 Great Black-backed Gull
6 Herring Gull
1 GC Grebe
1 Pink-footed Goose
79 Canada Goose
1 Kestrel

Also in fields nearby 70+ Reed Bunting.

Dave

1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
79 Canada Goose
1 Pink-footed goose
12 Mallard
1 Grey Wagtail
1 GCGrebe
4 Herring Gull
9 GBBGull
500 BHGull
200 Common Gull

plus wildlife sightings on wildlife forum

Dave

-- Edited by David Winnard at 16:45, 2009-01-13

101 Canada Geese in field to the south +1 on the Res and the Pink-footed Goose still looking as wild as the weather up there

1 Green Woodpecker flying from east and then down into Deeply Vale
16 Goosander (8m,8f)
2 Mallard
8 Great Black-backed Gull (1 dead in field)
300 Black-headed Gull
150 Common Gull
1 Kestrel
6 Carrion Crow

mammal sightings on wildlife forum

Dave

very quiet here tonight the group of Canada Geese with the pink-footed goose in from Greenbooth were in the field to the south of the res

2 Stonechat
5 Goosander
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Kestrel
29 Lapwing
50 Fieldfare
10 Crow

on way back on Ashworth Road, 25 Meadow Pipit and 3 Snipe.

David

15:20-16:20

2 Raven
18 Lapwing
9 Goosander
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Kestrel
1 Reed Bunting
30 Herring Gull
8 Great Black-backed Gull
200+ Common Gull
150+ Black-headed Gull
1 possible Caspian Gull (3rd Winter) have sent Ian a rarity form and look forward to the commitees comments. Certainly a bird that stood out!

Dave

25 Great Black-backed Gull
9 Goosander

60% frozen over

Dave

60+ Reed Bunting in field next at junction to Edenfield Road and Ashworth Road.

1 Merlin
1 Meadow Pipit
1 male Goosander
1 GBBGull
1 GCGrebe
10 Common Gull
17 Fieldfare
3 Starling

will be back up there for the roost

Dave


-- Edited by David Winnard at 16:53, 2009-01-06

3rd - a Short-eared Owl showed well

4th - a WOODCOCK!!! Site first - flying around east side of res

adult Yellow Legged Gull
2 Jackdaw
200+ Fieldfare
1 Pied Wag
1 Snipe over ashworth road

all enjoyed with Paul Cliff

Dave


-- Edited by David Winnard at 17:11, 2009-01-04

A Pink-footed Goose tonight in amongst 67 Canada Goose. Also a male Merlin sat on the dam wall before flying off towards Deeply Vale.

30 Goosander
400 BH Gull
50 Common Gull

Dave

Very quiet tonight, although 11 Mallard were the highlight!

11 Mallard
31 Goosander
1 juv GBBGull
500 BH Gull
100 Common Gull

Dave

Pretty same as last night - though no Yellow Legged Gull.

750+ BH Gull
250 Common Gull
25 GBBGull
2 Herring Gull
48 Goosander
35 Lapwing

Dave

Adult Yellow-legged Gull again today at 13:15 then flew off, will be back up there in half hour or so will see if it comes back to roost.

23 Goosander
4 GBBGull

Dave

Also present wer 20+ Greater Black-backed Gull
8 Herring Gull
200+ Common gull
750+ BH Gull
1 Grey Wagtail
36 Goosander

all up until 15:55 - very cold and windy.

Also some interesting mammal sightings on the Manc Wildlife Forum below

Dave

Adult Yellow-legged Gull present at 3:30pm this afternoon.

Info thanks to Dave Winnard

No sign of the goose today, but a Cormorant fly over is only my 2nd record in 3 years.

Dave

With the stongest winds I have known in a long time the Goose was showing this morning along with 3 goosander stuck to the wall.

just noticed your photos dave so you win the bet never thought you would get one in those conditions.

whatever the weather

keep birding

Brent Goose still present 11am this morning atleast.

Info thanks to Birdnet Information Services via their premium pager

Sorry to have dragged you back from Blackpool last night Dave. Although I'm sure you'll agree it was worth making the journey. It wasn't my intention to take points off you on your local patch, honest! I shall try my best to avoid a repeat performance, although now I know that you don't go up there on a Sunday evening ....
It's been a long wait for my second Rochdale Brent Goose, the first (dark-bellied I think) having been seen at Watergrove in February 1995.

Still present at 16:50

(info thanks to Dave Ousey)

Dave

29th Sep 06.55 - 07.35. (with Simon Hitchin)

The pale-bellied Brent Goose still present, feeding on a small spit to the right of the layby near 'Owd Betts' pub.

Also:
Mallard (2)
Goosander (38) This flock, roosting on the stone bank at the back of the reservoir, went un-noticed for a while in poor early light. They departed in smaller groups between 07.10 - 07.20.

Back in Blackpool now - well done steve atkins! though now we are even for the Red Kite at Watergrove i found in 2006 - dont find rarities on my patch when im not around again!!! Was still present at 19:30. Not a bad 2 days at AMR!!! the 6 Mallard on there were the first mallard i have seen up there in september from my records - as rare as brent geese!

Dave

Sun 28th - a pale bellied Brent Goose present tonight on the Res, found by Steve Atkins at 5.45pm caused quite a stir amongst the Rochdale birders, still present till 7.20pm at least when I left. the sixth county record following the five at Elton this morning and twitched from Blackpool by a certain hardy Ashworth Moor regular

big open day for the wind turbines today, Edenfield Road & Ashworth Road were jammed with cars, the bird (what a bird!) was on the north shore - sadly some people from the open day decided to let the dog have a run around down there (the only day of the year the site has been disturped!). Headed strongly south, lost it behind Deeply Vale.

Dave

spotted redshank on the north shore of the resr at approx 12:37 this afternoon briefly them flew off in the direction of elton reservoir possibly Info thanks to dave winnard